Social Media Tips: Stay Positive

We’ve arrived at the finish line, and I apologize for being a day behind (blame food poisoning). Today, I give you four tips and my last thoughts on using media. After this, I will begin focusing my blog more on Regency language. For now, enjoy:

Tip Eleven:Try to maintain a positive perspective.

Complaining and negativity will not be welcomed by readers, particularly if you do it frequently. Feeling down on the industry? Shhhh. Got a terrible review? Shhhh. Take a break, eat some chocolate or whatever your happy food is, and come back when you feel refreshed.

Tip Twelve:Try not to direct message someone unless they already follow you on Facebook or Twitter.

I’m personally not a fan of direct messaging people on Facebook. I joined a readers’ group on Facebook, and the next day received a message from an unfamiliar author who sent me a link to her book’s Amazon page. Kudos to her industriousness, but honestly, I found it irritating. I don’t expect messages from strangers in my personal mailbox on Facebook. Twitter is a less private site, so I think people expect it there more.

My current rule for myself is not to direct message someone unless they already follow me on Facebook or Twitter. If that person has any privacy restrictions on their accounts, chances are that they aren’t going to welcome a message from a stranger. If you really want to broaden your net, however, I would suggest not contacting people who have obvious privacy restrictions on their account–If you can’t see what they’re saying to their friends, then I’d leave those people alone.

Also, don’t post on anyone’s Facebook wall. It’s theirs, and they are not going to thank your for cluttering it up.

Tip Thirteen: Support other authors in your genre, and don’t sweat it if they don’t do the same in return.

I don’t mean you need to go buy their books, but you can share with readers when something big is going on in another’s author’s life. Is their book on sale or do they have a new release? Share it.

But…do not feel entitled to reciprocation. We all lead busy lives, and we all have different priorities. Think of promoting other authors as a “pay it forward” type of endeavor. You don’t expect a thank you. It’s great when you get one–hold onto that feeling–but it isn’t necessarily owed to you.

Tip Fourteen:Don’t put down other authors, no matter the genre.

Your fans are unlikely to read only one genre. Just because you think it’s safe to slam George R. R. Martin because you write historical romance doesn’t mean that’s really so. (I love his books, by the way! I didn’t know how much I loved fantasy, until I read Game of Thrones.) Readers are a passionate bunch, and you don’t want to set anyone off by insulting one of their beloved works. Again, arguing on social media is the worst. *shivers* See Tip Nine.